One of the two Indian soldiers killed in a clash along the disputed Kashmir border was beheaded by Pakistani troops who then carried away his head, India's chief military spokesman has claimed.

"We can confirm that one of the Indian soldiers was beheaded by the Pakistani army in Kashmir," J Dahiya said.

"They have taken away the head."

Indian military chiefs said one of their army patrols was attacked byPakistani troops who crossed the so-called Line of Control dividing the region and violated a ceasefire.

Their deaths followed another disputed incident on Sunday, when Pakistan said Indian army troops attacked one of their bases and killed a soldier.

Each sides disputes the others description of events in recent days.

Checkpoints along the disputed Line of Control in Kashmir

However, Dahiya accused the Pakistanis of being "in a state of denial".

"We are absolutely convinced Pakistan army regulars were involved because it was a surgical strike with high-calibre weapons," he said

The countries have fought two full-scale wars over Kashmir, which is claimed by both of them and is divided between them.

A 2003 ceasefire ended the most recent round of fighting, though each side occasionally accuses the other of violating it by using mortars or shooting across the border dividing the Indian and Pakistani sides of Kashmir.

It had been hoped that the relationship between the two countries was improving after new visa rules were announced in December, designed to make cross-border travel easier.